Citing student safety as the reason, the Long Beach branch of the NAACP has launched an investigation into an incident involving a student in possession of a small knife in a Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) classroom on Thursday, Feb. 25.
According to a statement from CSULB, during a sociology class lecture, the professor in the room asked the student with the knife to leave, because the professor grew concerned about the weapon. The student cooperated, and shortly thereafter, the class was dismissed. The student in question is male, and he is half black and half white. He is still enrolled in the university.
The professor, who remains unidentified, has since gone on leave. There is no official statement from school officials that can confirm or deny any connection between the knife incident and the professor’s time on leave.
University Police Department handed over the criminal-side investigation to the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) because of a conflict of interest. The student is employed by university police, and he is related to a member of the campus law enforcement, according to media reports.
The Long Beach NAACP launched its investigation on March 9 to specifically determine if the situation posed a serious threat to student safety and learning.
According to a statement attributed to CSULB Associate Vice President Of Government and Media Relations Terri Carbaugh, the incident posed no ongoing threat to the students and staff on campus. Therefore, no emergency message was mass-distributed throughout the school.
After local newspapers released information on the incident, in early March, Naomi Rainey, president of the Long Beach branch of the NAACP, said that the organization received numerous calls on the matter via its hotline telephone number.
Rainey said that the organization did not want to react to the anonymous calls without first meeting with the executive branch of the group to come up with a plan of action.
The data collected on the matter gave the executive members of the NAACP enough information to start investigating.
“It’s muddy,” Rainey said. “I have heard three versions of this story. While we investigate, we are asking the school if this is a criminal act.”
In an email to the Signal Tribune, CSULB Executive Director of News and Digital Media Michael Uhlenkamp said that few details could be released until the criminal investigation reached a conclusion.
Language, like the word “brandishing,” was first used to describe what happened during the incident. Uhlenkamp said a “brandished knife” is not consistent with the school’s initial assessment of the situation.
“We have to look at all the facts,” Rainey said. “We have to look at how many people are saying ‘brandished’ versus ‘not brandished.'”
In a March 9 press release, Rainey commended CSULB President Dr. Jane Close Conoley for her efforts in gathering information and supporting those involved. Rainey said Conoley and CSULB staff are providing counseling for all those impacted by the incident.
As of press time, there is not a scheduled date for when the investigation will end. The NAACP Long Beach branch is actively seeking help and tips as the investigation carries on. Rainey said the public can call the hotline, (562) 494-6507, or visit the Contact Us tab on the group’s website at lbcanaacp.org .
